Tamil film industry on verge of crisis over wage revision
The multi-million rupee Tamil film industry seems to be on the verge of a crisis with wage revision turning out to be a flash point between unions of producers and workers.
|Last Updated: Jan 29, 2012, 07:28 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Chennai: The multi-million rupee Tamil film industry seems to be on the verge of a crisis with wage revision turning out to be a flash point between unions of producers and workers.
Peeved over the "unilateral decision" of the workers` body Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) on revising the wage structure, the Tamil Film Producers` Council (TFPC) has ruled out working with them.
While a strike paralysing the industry boasting some of the biggest names of Indian cinema, including actors Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan is not in the offing, FEFSI has however decided to take to the streets by organising a fast, sources said.
Sources indicated that not much production activity took place last week, with TFPC convening an emergency meeting of its general council to discuss the issue on Monday, even as it held that it could not negotiate with FEFSI due to elections to the body and change of guard.
While wage revision had been happening once in three years for the past few years, it did not happen last year with the expiry of the latest scale in early 2011.
However, FEFSI went ahead and announced a scale, which is now the bone of contention between the two bodies. "Agreement on payscale is usually signed after discussions with both parties and this time FEFSI`s unilateral decision was against normal practice," TFPC sources said.
However, a FEFSI office-bearer said the demand to increase pay by 30-50 per cent was the general scale proposed.
Noted director Cheran, known for critically acclaimed films like `Autograph`, batted for producers, saying it was "unfair" of the workers to demand a 100 per cent hike when investing on films had become a "gamble".
"A director or a cinematographer receives wages only according to the budget of the film. But for the workers, the scale is constant, irrespective of investment made into the film, whether shot on Rs 100 crore or made on a shoe-string budget," he added.
The move would only further worsen the industry, where successful films are becoming fewer and filmmaking itself is a big challenge, Cheran added.
Even a talented, tech-savvy film-maker has to shell out more if he abides by FEFSI rules, though he can manage to complete his films within a few lakhs of rupees, he claimed.
Meanwhile, the eternal demand of top stars reducing their salaries has also come up once again from some sections. Many of the major actors are paid in crores besides some being given rights to the film in some areas.
A strike by the FEFSI a few years ago had paralysed the Tamil film industry.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.